Ion exchange-functionalized catalyst supports

Abstract

An ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support includes a ceramic catalyst support and an ion exchange group at a surface of the ceramic catalyst support. The ceramic catalyst support includes at least one of a covalent nitride, a covalent metal boride, and a covalent carbide.

1 . An ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support comprising:
 a ceramic catalyst support comprising a covalent nitride, a covalent metal boride, or a covalent carbide; and   an ion exchange group at a surface of the ceramic catalyst support.   
     
     
         2 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic catalyst support comprises the covalent nitride, the covalent nitride comprising a binary nitride, the binary nitride comprising boron nitride, silicon nitride, or aluminum nitride. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the ion exchange group includes a boron atom, a silicon atom, or an aluminum atom of the binary nitride; and   the boron atom, the silicon atom, or the aluminum atom of the ion exchange group has a negative formal charge.   
     
     
         5 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 2 , wherein the binary nitride comprises hexagonal boron nitride. 
     
     
         6 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic catalyst support comprises the covalent nitride, the covalent nitride comprising a ternary nitride, the ternary nitride comprising a boron carbon nitride, a silicon carbon nitride, or a silicon boron nitride. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the ion exchange group comprises a boron atom or a silicon atom of the ternary nitride; and   the boron atom or the silicon atom of the ion exchange group has a negative formal charge.   
     
     
         9 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the ceramic catalyst support comprises the covalent metal boride;   the ion exchange group includes a boron atom of the covalent metal boride; and   the boron atom of the ion exchange group has a negative formal charge.   
     
     
         10 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 9 , wherein the covalent metal boride comprises titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, or tantalum. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange group comprises a tetravalent boron atom, a tetravalent aluminum atom, or a pentavalent silicon atom. 
     
     
         14 . The ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support of  claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange group comprises fluorine. 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A catalyst layer comprising:
 an ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support comprising:
 a ceramic catalyst support comprising a covalent nitride, a covalent metal boride, or a covalent carbide; and 
 an ion exchange group at a surface of the ceramic catalyst support; and 
   a catalyst particle supported on the ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The catalyst layer of  claim 17 , further comprising an ionomer. 
     
     
         20 . The catalyst layer of  claim 17 , wherein the ceramic catalyst support is electrically conducting and the catalyst layer does not include a carbon catalyst support. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The catalyst layer of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the ceramic catalyst support comprises the covalent nitride;   the covalent nitride comprises boron, silicon, or aluminum;   the ion exchange group includes a boron atom, a silicon atom, or an aluminum atom of the covalent nitride; and   the boron atom, the silicon atom, or the aluminum atom of the ion exchange group has a negative formal charge.   
     
     
         23 . The catalyst layer of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the ceramic catalyst support comprises the covalent metal boride;   the ion exchange group includes a boron atom of the covalent metal boride; and   the boron atom of the ion exchange group has a negative formal charge.   
     
     
         24 . The catalyst layer of  claim 22 , further comprising a cation ionically linked to the ion exchange group, wherein the cation comprises a proton, a metal cation, or tetraalkylammonium. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method of making an ion exchange-functionalized catalyst support, comprising:
 functionalizing a surface of a ceramic catalyst support with an ion exchange group, the ceramic catalyst support comprising a covalent nitride, a covalent metal boride, or a covalent carbide.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the ceramic catalyst support comprises boron, silicon, or aluminum; and   the functionalizing comprises covalently bonding a nucleophilic reagent with a boron atom, a silicon atom, or an aluminum atom of the ceramic catalyst support at the surface of the ceramic catalyst support.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the nucleophilic reagent comprises hydrogen fluoride, a metal fluoride, or a tetraalkylammonium fluoride. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the nucleophilic reagent comprises an acid, a salt of an acid, a partial ester of a polybasic acid, or an alcohol.